Meaning & use
small coins
Last updated
“small coins” is a form of “small coin”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
More than one coin of low value, especially coins used for small everyday payments.
Grammar: Plural form of 'small coin'. Use plural verbs: small coins are, not small coins is.
Patterns
- small coins
- a few small coins
- pay in small coins
She saved small coins in a jar all year.
The children counted their small coins to see if they had enough for ice cream.
He emptied his pockets and found only small coins and an old receipt.
Word forms
| singular | small coin |
|---|
Common combinations
- a jar of small coins
- There is a jar of small coins on the kitchen shelf.
- collect small coins
- My grandfather used to collect small coins from different countries.
- count small coins
- The cashier counted the small coins carefully.
- pay in small coins
- The bus driver prefers passengers not to pay in small coins.
Synonyms and how they differ
- change
- Change means coins or money returned after paying; small coins specifically means low-value metal money.
- coins
- Coins is the general plural; small coins adds that they are of low value.
Word family
- small coin noun
- One low-value coin.
- coin noun
- A piece of metal money.
Commonly confused: small coins or small change?
small coins vs small change
Small change is an uncountable phrase for low-value coins in general. 'Small coins' is countable and can be used with numbers: three small coins.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'small coins' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'A few small coins' is correct because 'small coins' is plural and can follow 'a few'. Option 0 uses 'a' with a plural, option 1 uses a singular verb with a plural subject, and option 3 wrongly describes paper as coins.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “small coins”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.